Two Polls Out In New Hampshire, Shows Clinton's Continued ErosionTodd Beeton's diary over at mydd.com, shows the continued erosion in New Hampshire of Hillary Clinton. This poll, UNH/Boston Globe, released today is showing a continued trend for Clinton. The Marist Poll out Saturday and Rasmussen's poll was out earlier this week. All three polls are showing the same trend. There is something going on out there and a shift is starting to form.

obama ad for the jefferson jackson dinner, classic

Obama Heats Up Rivalry in Iowa

As he travels through Iowa, White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is cranking up the argument that chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has too much baggage to be elected president.

He also said if he does not do well in Iowa, it will not be because he is African American.

“If you start off with half the country not wanting to vote for you, you don’t have a lot of margin for error,” Obama said Friday in reference to Clinton — not by name — during a taping of Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” political program to be broadcast later this weekend.

At a town hall meeting in Knoxville, Iowa, on Thursday evening, Obama, without mentioning Clinton by name, said he is the most electable Democrat because he has no history of “generating anger among Republicans.”

For more than a decade, Republicans have railed against Clinton — as first lady and as now senator — and still furiously invoke her name in fund-raising solicitations. Chicago Sun-Times

White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) Thursday night mounted his most forceful argument to date that he is more electable than chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who has been a Republican punching bag for more than a decade. Obama, not mentioning Clinton by name, said he could appeal to Republican and Independent voters in a general election because he has no history of “generating anger among Republicans.”

“I think there are a lot of disaffected Republicans, a lot of independents who are Republican leaning who are really disappointed, and so they are willing to give us a chance. But in order for us to take advantage of that opportunity I think we’ve got to have a candidate who can bridge some of those divides,” Obama said.

The electability factor could be a crucial factor in this first caucus state, where voters may decide to pick the candidate on Jan. 3, not who they like the best or agree with, but who they gauge has the best chance of winning the 2008 general election. Chicago Sun-Times

I had reservations about Obama. A black man, though bi-racial, you still see that we can not envision the white part of him, because we are so trained to look at people by the color of their skin.

Yes. Even Democrats. Many who have tried to make the trumped up charges that a black man will never be president, because this country is so racist. That is an argument, but it becomes weaker by the day.

If anyone believe that Obama will not win because of race, was not going to vote for him from the conception. That means that no matter what he said, it would be shot down with the race argument. Are there many like that? Yes. Are there many more who don't think like that? Yes.

Barack Obama's argument must be won and sold to us, individually, not because he is a man of color. But what he can do for the United States of America. That means all of us, not some of us.

Dave Filipi, a 48-year-old family doctor, made his way to the back room of McKenna's Blues Bar near the University of Nebraska's Omaha campus. Nervously smoothing his suit, he lingered in the doorway. "To be honest, I'm a Republican," Filipi sheepishly said as two dozen curious faces swinging around toward him.

"Trust me, you're not the only one here," Solomon Kleinsmith, the head of the group "Nebraskans for Obama" and himself a lifelong Republican, replied with a chuckle. "Come, sit down."

Political organizing for Democrats in red states like Nebraska can often feel a bit like leading AA meetings. But that hasn't deterred more than 300 Nebraskans from forming a dozen groups for Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign, and they aren't the only ones. On Monday, the Obama campaign announced that over 300 Iowa and New Hampshire Republicans had decided to cross party lines to support Obama. At Obama events in Oklahoma, Kentucky, Virginia and Georgia, a good 20% of audiences routinely raise their hands when emcees ask for Republicans in the crowd. A "Republicans for Obama" website has 11 state chapters with 146 members. An August University of Iowa even found Obama running third in the state among Republican candidates, behind Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani but ahead of both Fred Thompson and John McCain. And a national Gallup poll this month also found that nearly as many Republicans like Obama - 39% - than the 43% that dislike him, compared with the 78% of Republicans who held an unfavorable opinion of Hillary Clinton. Time

Barack Obama's speech at tonight's Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Iowa took him back to the roots of his stardom. Crucially, the setting was similar to that of the 2004 Democratic national convention, where Obama's keynote speech changed his destiny: Obama appeared onstage alone, before a roaring auditorium crowd, delivering an oratorically ambitious speech. It was a far cry from the candidate debates, with their silly questions and Mike Gravels, which have diminished Obama--or his sometimes lackluster town hall meetings with voters. Instead, Obama showed off his star power again and, for me at least, refreshed the logic of his call for "change that we can believe in."

It was one of the best of his campaign. The passion he showed should help him close the gap on Hillary Clinton by tipping some undecided caucus-goers his way. His oratory was moving and he successfully contrasted himself with the others - especially Clinton - without being snide or nasty about it. [...]

A candidate who does well at a JJ is quickly in the political buzz around Iowa. A candidate who does poorly can be quickly written off by some important players in the party. Candidates also know the event provides them with an opportunity to sound new themes, launch new attacks or mount a defense of their weaknesses. Local and national observers show up to chronicle the changes.

Obama was particularly impressive Saturday night. Should he win the Iowa caucuses, Saturday’s dinner will be remembered as one of the turning points in his campaign in here, a point where he laid down the marker and began closing on Clinton, the national frontrunner. [...]

While the Democratic candidates all had a good night, Obama clearly had the best.

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obama in knoxville, ia, november 8th

icebergslim's last word: is the tide turning?

This has been a whirlwind week for Obama, at the expense of Hillary Clinton.

Since the debate in Philadelphia, the reviews of Clinton’s performance was disastrous. Really. Many who are political junkies have been complaining about Clinton for some time now, wondering why the MSM was not picking up on her non-answer stance. That all changed, after Philadelphia.

Many have been touting, relying, sleeping with poll numbers. Many had written Obama off, especially in the netroots, but now the tide is turning.

For any real progressive, to honestly embrace Clinton as the change candidate, had to step back after Philadelphia’s debate. You had to. Her weaknesses of answering questions and lack of candor was exposed and it is becoming evident by the latest NH Poll numbers. What is the most interesting tidbit is the public’s perception on Hillary Clinton and her trustworthiness. The numbers stink and anyone who has been part of a campaign, right now you are thinking, “Houston, we got a problem”.

Yes, they do. People don’t vote for a candidate they do not trust. They don’t.

The Jefferson Jackson Dinner was televised on c-span, last night live. The top three candidates were interestingly, different. Edwards was passionate, from beginning to end. Obama, closed it last night. His passion, energy and commitment sealed the deal for some. It was one of, if not, his best speech given on the campaign trail. Clinton. Her whole delivery was slow, melodic, and did not seem real for many. Yes, she is the front runner, but something was missing from her. Something that she needs to find, fast, if she plans on winning this.

I have been stating from the beginning this nomination will be won by how the voters feel about these candidates. Do they trust them? Are they honest? Can they bring real change? And now the last one, can he/she win?

All this starts in Iowa. It does. And the recent polling, is what it is, indicates that Democratic Voters are now starting to pay attention here. And if anyone wants to win this, you will have to bring some honesty to the table. If you don’t, the tide will continue to erode.

Truth. Honesty. Sincerity. Barack Obama.

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Lastly, a must read diary from worldtrippers, who was at the Jefferson Jackson Dinner in Des Moines, Iowa last night. A great diary on Obama, and the diarist take on his possible turning point, last night.

well, fall is here to stay for a while, as the precinct captains are getting ready, so are we. ready for change and ready to move this country away from where it is, to where we want it to be. Together. As always remember to focus on Obama, and not the drama....

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